Transfer car



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,206

A. E. EVANS TRANSFER CAR led March 8, 1 2 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Jan. 24, 1928.

A. E. EVANS TRANSFER CAR Filed March 18. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 24, 1928.

A. E. EVANS TRANSFER CAR Filed March 18' 1926 e Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 24, 1928.

A. E. EVANS TRANSFER CAR Filed March 18. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR Jan. 24, 1928. 1,657,206

A. E. EVANS TRANSFER CAR Filed March 18, 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT n. EVANS, or PITTSBURGH, rnNNsYLvANIA,,-AssIeNon To PITTSBURGH 'rLATE GLASS COMPANY, a CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA.

TRANSFER can.

Application filed March. 18, 1926. Serial No. 95,628.

The invention relates to transfer cars, the a paratus shown being particularly designed for shifting the glass rinding tables used in grinding and polis ing glass between the parallel tracks in a system, such asthat illustrated and described in the Fox Patent No. 1,554,804 of Sept. 22, 1925. The transfer car as herein shown'and described, is desi ed to shift two tables at one time, and it is important that this should be done without moving the tables relatively in a vertical direction, as such movement tends to break the joint between the two tables. A sheet of glass may extend across this joint and any substantial relative movement of the tables may cause the glass to be broken or loosened in its plaster setting, and even where the glass does not lie over the joint between the tables, it is desirable to avoid cracking the plaster surface lying over the joint. One of the objects of the invention, therefore, is to provide an imroved construction permitting of the adustment of the level of the transfer car, so that the tracks thereon are in exact alignment with the tracks from which the tables are withdrawn and those to which the tables are shifted or transferred. A further object of the invention is the provision of improved means for indexing or positioning the car. One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showlng the general arrangement of the tracks. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the transfer car. Fig. 3 is an end view of the car. Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view showing the bearing adjustment. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views illustrating the 1ndexing mechanism. And Fig. is an end view of the locking plate for the wheel shafts.

Referring to Fig. 1, A, B, four parallel tracks carrying the tables E u on which the glass to be ground and polis ed is mounted. The tracks A and D are return tracks, while the tracks B and C are working tracks over which are mounted the grinding and polishing machlnes, not shown. At the ends of the tracks just referred to, are the transfer tracks, each comprising the three rails F, upon which rails section on the line V-V.

C and D are p aremounted the transfer cars G, to which the invention particularly relates. The arrows on Fig. 1 indicate the manner in which the tables E are shifted, those returning on track D being shifted to track 13.

The transfer can Gr comprises a framework 1 provided with six wheels 2, 2, 2, etc. lldlIlg upon the rails F. All six wheels are preferabl driven, although this is not necessarily t e case. The drive for the wheels 18 accomplished by means of the motors 3, 3 operatlng through suitable reducing gearing and connections, including the transverse shafts 4, 4.. These driving mechanisms-are identical so that a description of one will be suflioient. The shaft 4 is provided with three pinions 5, 5, 5 which mesh with the spur ears 6, 6, 6, carried by the shafts 7, 7, 7 which also carry the car wheels 2, 2, 2. The drive shaft 4 is itself driven from the motor 3 through the intermediary of the pinion 8 and spur gear 9 keyed to the motor shaft 10 and shaft 4, respectively. The gears 5 and 6 are carried in a suitable housing 11, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6, which housing acts as a support for the shafts 4 and 7, holding such shafts in relatively fixed positions.

The shaft 7 has its end portions 12, 12 formed eccentricall with respect to the cen tral portion, and tiiese ends are carried by a pair of bearing blocks 13, 13, being held against rotation by means of a lock plate 14. This lock plate has a square perforation 15 (Fig. 10) fitting over the squared end of the shaft and provided with a lurality of circular perforations 16. his plate is held a ainst rotation by means of the stud bolts 17 which engage perforations in the end of the bearing member 13. By this means the shaft 7 may be held in any desired position of rotary adjustment, and such adjustment will vary the height of the body of the car in the leveling up operation heretofore referred to. The car wheel 2 and inion 6 are mounted to rotate with the bushing18, to which the pinion is keyed.

In order to permit of the adjustment of the shaft 7, as just described, it is necessary that the bearings 13, 13 should be supported so that they may move lon itudinally of the framing of the car. T is is accomplished by providing a guideway in the form of the members 19, 19 (Fig. 6) in which the bearings are slidably mounted.

transverse bolts 21, 21 which extend throu h the members 19, 19 and also through t e bearing blocks 13, such blocks bein slotted,

as indicated at 22 (Fig. 5) in or er to re ceive the bolts. The members 19, 19 have sufiicient sprin together slightly to accomplish the clamping function. This arrangement provides for the adjustment of each wheel of the car independently of the others and without interference with the driving mechanism.

The indexing of the car is accomplished by means of a pair of rods 23, 23 o erated from the motor 24 carried upon t e car. These rods have slip connections at 25, 25 with the outer ends of the rods pushed outward by the s rings 26, 26. The extreme outer ends of t e rods carry the rollers 27,

i 27 adapted to engage recesses 28, 28, 28, etc.

opposite the sides of the car. In order to brlng the recesses at exactly the right points, the blocks 29, in which the recesses are formed, (Fig. 9) are mounted for adjustment with respect to the supporting frame member 30. The blocks 29 are clamped in position by means of the bolts 31, whose heads fit in suitable T-slots in the block 29. Spaces are left at the ends of the blocks and these spaces are 'fitted with shims 32, 32, which serve to hold the blocks rigidly 1n position after the shims have been put into place and the bolts 31 have been tightened. By varyin the shims, the blocks 29 may be adjusted longitudinally within the limits provided by the spaces at the ends thereof. This takes care of any wear which occurs and permits the tracks on the transfer car to be accurately lined up with the tracks carrying the tables.

The mechanism for operating the indexing rods from the motor is shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The spur gear 33 on the motor shaft drives a pinion 34, whose shaft 35 carries a .worm lying within the casing 36. This worm drives a worm wheel upon the shaft 37. A crank 38 is carried by this shaft and has at its outer end a roller 39 engaging the slotted member 40.. This member 40 in turn rocks a. crank 41 connected at its ends to the indexing rods 23, 23 by means of the toggle links 42, 42. This mechanism serves to draw the indexing rods inwardly when it is desired to move the car to another positoin. During the movement of the car from one osition to another, the rollers 27 are presse outwardly by the springs 26, so that they move into the recesses 28, 28 when a new position is reached without the necessity of operating the motor 24. In order to release the indexing device, it is only necessary to start the motor, causin the parts to assume the positions-indicate so that they may be forced= in Fig. 7, at which time the rollers on the indexing rods are pressed into the recesses 28 with only a slight amount of pressure, so that the car may be easily shifted from its indexed position to a new position.

What I claim is:

1. In a transfer car having a car receiv ing track thereon, supporting wheels at the sides of the car, independent shafts for the wheels on one side of the car, each of which has its ends eccentric with respect to the portion of the shaft'therebctween on which the wheel is journaled, a pair of bearings for each shaftin'which the shaft is adjustably held against rotation, said bearings being mounted on the car for horizontal adjustment, means for clamping the bearin in adjusted position, a driven shaft extend ing longitudinally of said side of the car, a gear carried by each of said shafts for the wheels, and gears on said driven shaft for driving the gears on the wheel shafts.

2. In a transfer car having a car receivin track thereon, supportin wheels at the sides of the car, independent s afts for the wheels on one side of the car, each of which has its ends eccentric with respect to the portion of the shaft therebetween on which the wheel is journaled, a pair of bearings for' each shaft in which the shaft is adjustably held against rotation, said bearings being mounted on the car for horizontal adjustment, adjustable stop means for limiting the horizontal movement of the bearings, means for clamping the bearings in adjusted position, a driven shaft extending longitudinally of said side of the car, a gear carried by each of said shafts for the wheels, and gears on said driven shaft for driving the gears on the wheel shafts.

3. In a transfer car having a car receiving track thereon, supporting wheels at the sides of the car, independent shafts for the wheels on one side of the car, each of which has its ends eccentric with respect to the portion of the shaft therebetween on which the wheel is journaled, a pair of bearings for each shaft in which the shaft is adjustably held against rotation, said bearings being mounted on the car for horizontal adjustment, movable guides for said bearin s, means for clam ing the guides against t e bearings to hol them in adjusted position a driven shaft extending longitudinally of said side of the car, a gear carried by each of said shafts for the wheels, and gears on said driven shaft for driving the gears on the wheel shafts.

4. The combination with a transfer car mounted upon a track, of an indexing track in parallel with said track, and provided with a recess, an indexin block mounted for adjustment longitudinallyin said recess, shims fitting between the ends of the block and the ends of the recess, means for clamping the block in position in the recess, and an indexing member carried by the car and adapted to engage said recess.

5. The combination with a transfer car mounted upon a track, of a pair of indexing tracks in parallel with said tracks on opposite sides thereof and provided with indexing recesses, a pair of indexing rods carried by the car and adapted to engage said recesses, a double crank intermediate the inner ends of the rods, toggle links connecting said ends with the ends of the crank, a slotted arm connected to said crank so asto rock it, a motor, and a crank driven thereb having its end in operative engagement wit the slot in said arm.

6. The combination with a transfer car mounted upon a track, of a pair of indexing tracks in parallel with said tracks on opposite sides thereof and provided with indexing recesses, a pair of indexing rods carried by the car and adapted to engage said recesses, a double crank intermediate the inner ends of the rods, toggle links connecting said ends with the ends of the crank, an arm connected to said crank, a motor, and means including a crank operated by the motor for rocking said arm.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of March,

ALBERT E. EVANS. 

